Which roast is right for me?

Marbling

Look for a roast with a high level of marbling – the fat contained within the muscles of the meat. As a roast heats in the oven selecting a roast this intramuscular fat will melt and provide more flavor and a tender, juicy texture.

Bone-in vs. Boneless

Bone-in roasts have added flavor from the bone itself. The bone also insulates the meat from the oven’s heat. This allows the meat surrounding the bone to cook slower, leaving those sections extra juicy and tender. Bone-in roasts but can be more challenging to cut, while boneless roasts are a breeze to slice and serve

Defrosting

All Snake River Farms roasts ship frozen to maintain optimal quality. Before cooking your roast, we recommend completely thawing it in the refrigerator. A completely frozen roast can take four or five days to thaw, so plan ahead.

If time is a factor, it’s possible to “speed thaw” by placing the sealed roast in cool water to accelerate the process.

Salt Overnight

A tip used by many restaurants is to liberally salt the roast on all sides the night before you plan to cook it. Leave it uncovered in your fridge overnight. This will look like it has dried out the roast, but it will actually increase the moisture in the prime rib when finished.

Warm to Room Temperature

Remove the prime rib from the fridge two hours before it is scheduled to go in the oven. Allow it to come to room temperature. This will help the roast cook evenly.

This is the easiest and surefire way to prepare an amazing prime rib. Just follow these simple steps:

Pre-heat oven

Set the oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Apply seasonings

Season prime rib with salt and pepper. We recommend salt with a larger crystal size such as Jacobsen or Kosher salt. You can also use your favorite rub or paste. No matter what you use, sprinkle the seasonings generously.

Roast in oven

Place roast in a rack, fat side up, over the roasting pan and cook for 15-20 minutes per pound. Only use times as a guideline. A thermometer should be used to determine doneness.

Remove from oven

Pull the roast when it is at 110 degrees for rare, 120 degrees for medium rare and 130 degrees for medium. The temperatures will continue to rise about 10 degrees while resting

Rest

Let prime rib rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

Slice and serve

Slice against the grain of the meat and serve.

REVERSE SEAR METHOD

The reverse sear method roasts the prime rib at lower heat for a consistent cook, then uses a sear at the end for a rich, savory crust. It takes a little more technique, but is well worth the extra effort.

Pre-heat oven

Set the oven temperature to 275 degrees.

Apply seasonings

Season prime rib with salt and pepper. We recommend salt with a larger crystal size such as Jacobsen or Kosher salt. You can also use your favorite rub or paste. No matter what you use, sprinkle the seasonings generously.

Roast in oven

Place roast in a rack, fat side up, over the roasting pan and cook for 20-25 minutes per pound. Only use times as a guideline. A thermometer should be used to determine doneness.

Remove from oven

Pull the roast when it is at 110 degrees for rare, 120 degrees for medium rare and 130 degrees for medium. The temperatures will continue to rise about 10 degrees while resting.

Rest

Sear

Place the roast back in the oven and rotate it every 90 seconds until all sides have been exposed
to the high heat. The idea is to create a golden brown crust that adds flavor and an intoxicating bite to each slice.

Slice and serve

TWO-STEP METHOD

We recommend using the two-step skillet-to-oven method, also referred to as “steakhouse style” to prepare petite roasts that are approximately 2 lbs or less. This method uses a quick skillet sear and the roast is placed in the oven to finish cooking. This method is great for tenderloin and Manhattan roasts.

PRE-HEAT

Set the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Heat a heavy skillet over medium high heat until hot. Add a light coat of vegetable oil to the skillet.

SEASON

Season roast with salt and pepper. We recommend salt with a larger crystal size such as Jacobsen sea salt or Kosher salt. You can also use your favorite rub. No matter what you use, sprinkle the seasonings generously.

SEAR

Place roast in hot skillet to sear. Turn roast to get an even brown crust on all sides (about 2 minutes per side).

COOK

Place skillet and roast in a 350 degree oven for 25 to 50 minutes depending on desired doneness. Turn once half way through the cooking time.

REMOVE FROM OVEN

Pull the roast when it is at 110 degrees for rare, 120 degrees for medium rare and 130 degrees for medium. The temperatures will continue to rise about 10 degrees while resting.

Only use times as a guideline. A thermometer should be used to determine doneness.